*Image above, 2016 JWT’s Helen Landsdowne Resor (HLR) Scholarship Winners*
In January, J. Walter Thompson Company kicked off the New Year by opening applications for its third annual Helen Lansdowne Resor (HLR) Scholarship, which provides an international opportunity that addresses the lack of female creative leadership in the ad industry by empowering female college students with the support they need to join advertising’s creative ranks.
“When we talk about the future of the industry, we are really talking about the talent that’s just starting off and the aspiring talent who are still in school and haven’t gotten their feet wet. With these two groups, we have such a ripe opportunity to get an early start on making sure that the shortfalls we see in the industry today don’t persist,” Matt Eastwood, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer at J. Walter Thompson told DIVERGE.
Named after Helen Lansdowne Resor, the industry’s and JWT’s first female copywriter, the Scholarship was established in partnership with the 4A’s in 2014. Each year, it awards five individual scholarships up to $10,000. Additionally, each recipient will be offered a paid summer internship with a JWT office in her respective region; a JWT mentor; and a “first look” placement consideration upon graduation.
“The HLR Scholarship is our early start. By giving young women this chance, we’re investing in nurturing talent that is as diverse as the brands we create work for and the consumers we’re trying to speak to,” Eastwood added. “And that, after all, is why diversity in the creative room is so important: when there’s a shared experience, a shared perspective between who makes the work and who receives it, it makes the creative product that much more powerful.”
In 2016, Yanci Wu was chosen as the Asia Pacific winner for JWT’s Helen Landsdowne Resor (HLR) Scholarship.
“It was a huge honor to be recognized as one of the five top female creative students worldwide,” Wu explained. “This scholarship was not only a tremendous financial help, but also enabled me to face the next challenge with more confidence and courage.”
She added that opportunities to include diversity are crucial because “ diverse people bring diverse perspectives” and “there is always room for a different story in advertising.”
Seven years ago, Wu immigrated to the US from China in order to attend Virginia Commonwealth University. After constantly being told that people from foreign countries were not fit to be in the creative fields, she broke through barriers and received her degree from VCU in Graphic Design.
In addition to being awarded the HRL scholarship, she was also named the Cannes’ 2016 Future Lions with her partner and the winner of WONGDODDY’s Women in Advertising Scholarship.
Her advice for others: “ Present your work in an appealing way,” she stated. “Find your unique story and voice.”
Applications must be submitted here by May 14, 2017. The scholarship is open to eligible students from select schools globally.
Applicants must be female, show creative talent and promise, maintain satisfactory academic and creative progress as determined by their school, be registered as a student at a participating undergraduate and/or portfolio school, and be no less than 12 months from completion of their degree at May 14, 2017.
